


Just for Tonight

by UnsealingKale



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Camping, Happy Ending, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Romance, college rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 00:34:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18487645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnsealingKale/pseuds/UnsealingKale
Summary: “We could pretend,” Link whispered, so quietly that Rhett had to strain to hear him despite their closeness. “Just for tonight.”“Pretend you’re a girl? Pretend we’re together?” Rhett asked.Link nodded, his eyes still closed. “If you want to.”





	Just for Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be MUCH longer and more angsty, but it took an unplanned path. It may not be exactly what you’d expect based on the summary, but I hope you like it anyway. Not beta read.

Rhett’s stomach growled in anticipation as he finished roasting his hot dog and put it into a bun. There was nothing better than a hot dog cooked over an open fire. He wolfed it down and started cooking a second, while his best friend, Link, carefully chewed each tiny bite of his own hot dog. Some people said Link was annoying because he was so particular, but Rhett didn’t mind. Link had been his best friend forever, and he was used to his quirks.

Link shivered as he finished his hot dog, his shoulder brushing against Rhett’s. The night air was so cold that even their layers of clothes and the campfire couldn’t keep them warm. It was really too late in the year to be camping, but they had both wanted to get in one last trip before they had to go back to college for the next semester.

“Come here, bo,” Rhett said, holding out an arm for his friend. Link wore sweaters even when it was warm outside, like he was cold blooded or something, and Rhett didn’t want to be responsible if he froze to death out here. It probably wasn’t anywhere near cold enough for that to happen, but he wasn't going to take a chance.

“What?” Link asked, looking at him with a curious expression. He wiped the hot dog grease from his mouth with the back of his hand and blinked owlishly at Rhett.

“You’re cold? Come here and let me warm you up.” Rhett patted the log beside him and then held out his arm again, satisfied that his meaning was clear.

“Really?” Link asked.

Rhett nodded, and Link wasted no more time in scooting closer and fitting himself against Rhett’s side. “Do you want to pack up and go home?” Rhett asked. He hated to give up their last chance to camp for a few months, but he didn’t want Link to be miserable all night.

“No,” Link insisted, his voice firm. “I’m fine. It’s nice out here.”

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the crackle of the fire. “Are you feeling any warmer yet?” Rhett asked softly. He looked down at Link, trying not to notice how cute he was like that, buried against Rhett’s side. Rhett had been telling himself for years that his feelings for Link were like those a man had for his brother, but he knew that wasn’t really true. What he felt for Link was more like what a man should feel towards his girlfriend, and it scared him deep down inside sometimes.

“Yeah, but it’s kind of weird for us to sit like this, isn’t it?” Link said.

Rhett bristled at the word weird. He wished Link wouldn’t say that. It felt good to have Link so close to him. He breathed in his scent, mostly getting smoke from the campfire and just a hint something almost floral. If he were brave, he would press his nose into Link’s hair and take a good whiff. “It wouldn’t be weird if you were a girl,” he pointed out, hoping that the simple fact would somehow make Link feel better about their situation.

“Yeah, but I’m not a girl,” Link said.

“I know. I was just saying.”

Link laid his head on Rhett’s shoulder and closed his eyes, a gentle laugh escaping his throat. As Rhett looked down at his best friend, his stomach did a flip at the realization that he was holding him in a classic lover’s embrace. Wrestling matches, handshakes, and quick, slap-on-the back hugs were as much as they had ever really touched each other before. This felt downright intimate. He reminded himself that it was just to help warm Link up. Soon, they would pack up their leftovers, put the fire out and crawl into their individual sleeping bags in the tent, the moment long behind them.

“If I were a girl, we’d probably be a couple, wouldn’t we?” Link asked, softly. His eyes were still closed.

Rhett felt his heart skip a beat. “Uh, y- Yeah, I- I think- I think we might be.”

“I know we would be. We would have been together since like middle school or something.” Link chuckled at the thought of that, and Rhett felt the reverberations through his chest.

“Yeah, and we would probably be out here on some kind of romantic date under the stars instead of on a camping trip,” Rhett decided, suddenly feeling brave. His own words made him dizzy, and he almost wondered if he was just dreaming again, but he was too cold, and Link was too real and solid against him for that to be the case.

“You’d keep me warm just like this,” Link said.

“And I’d kiss your face as I held you in my arms,” Rhett finished. “Tell you how much I love you.”

It was a beautiful thought, but also a sad one because it could never be true. Link was a man, and they weren’t gay. Still, Rhett held his breath as he waited for Link to respond, wondering if he’d gone too far.

“We could pretend,” Link whispered, so quietly that Rhett had to strain to hear him despite their closeness. “Just for tonight.”

“Pretend you’re a girl? Pretend we’re together?” Rhett asked.

Link nodded, his eyes still closed. “If you want to.”

The thought of pretending to be with Link like that made Rhett’s stomach churn in a good way. He didn’t know if he had ever wanted anything else so much. Best of all, it wouldn’t really change anything because it would just be pretend. “Okay. What should I call you? Linky? Linkita?”

Link snorted at the suggestions. “It doesn’t matter. Just call me Link and we’ll pretend my parents had an usual taste in names.”

“Okay,” Rhett agreed. He then dipped into a deep voice, “Hey, thanks for agreeing to come camping with me, honey bun. I know you’d rather be getting your nails done right now, but I'm glad you’re here.”

Link pushed himself away, looking up at Rhett with a scowl. “Hey, come on, man. I wouldn’t be like that if I were a girl. I’d still like camping and stuff. And don’t talk to me like that. You sound ridiculous.”

“Sorry. I guess I just don’t know how to act.” Rhett wasn’t sure if he could handle this without joking around. He had no idea how Link was staying so calm and serious.

“Just be yourself. I’d still your best friend if I were a girl, wouldn’t I?” Link asked.

“Of course you would.” Rhett sighed, taking a second to center himself. He started again by sliding his free hand down to Link’s thigh, his fingers lightly massaging the skin there through Link’s jeans. “Are you warm enough, babe?” His voice wavered, but he managed to avoid going into his awkward too-deep voice again.

“Yeah, but my feet are like ice cubes,” Link said. He folded his legs up underneath him on the big log they were sitting on together. “There. That’s better.”

“Good.” Rhett smiled at Link, and Link tilted his head up to smile back. Their lips were so close, and lined up perfectly to kiss. Rhett shook his head, trying to push the thought away. “Have I ever told you how much I like your eyes? They’re so pretty.”

Link smiled shyly. “Really?”

“Really. Heck, all of you is pretty.” Rhett felt himself blush all over. He was suddenly too warm despite the cool air, but he didn’t dare pull away. “Beautiful, even.”

“And you’re really handsome.” Link giggled, and Rhett was surprised to see that his cheeks were red too. Maybe this pretending thing wasn’t easy for Link after all.

“I want to kiss you,” Rhett said. His heart fluttered in his chest. Had he gone too far? Would Link refuse and start talking about how weird all of this was again?

“Go ahead, then.” Link angled his face up again, offering himself to Rhett.

Rhett had all of two seconds to gather his composure before Link’s lips were on his. Rhett responded to the touch, kissing gently at first, but then with more passion. Link opened up to him, inviting him in, and Rhett went willingly. Link tasted so good, so sweet, and Rhett wanted to scream with how wonderful and natural it felt to kiss his best friend. He hated to break apart when he needed to breathe, his chest heaving as he thought about what they had just done.

“Rhett…?” Link asked, his voice hoarse and full of wonder.

“Link?” Rhett was sure his voice sounded exactly the same.

A second later, they were kissing again, the world spinning around them. Rhett felt himself tear up as long suppressed emotions made their way to the front of his mind. Link felt so perfect in his arms and on his tongue, and Rhett couldn’t get enough of him. Their hands wandered, touching places they had never touched before, their bodies so close and so warm with internal heat.

They had a lot of talking to do, but there would be time for that later. Right now, Rhett wanted to pick Link up and take him to the tent, touch every inch of his bare skin and tell him how loved he was. He pulled himself away and stood up, taking hold of Link's waist. He was about to suggest moving to the tent when Link suddenly pulled away, shifting himself on the log.

“What’s wrong?” Rhett asked.

“Am I- Is this still just pretend?” Link whispered. “Am I still your pretend girlfriend? I really need to know.”

Rhett blinked, his mind cloudy as he scrambled to find the right answer. “I- Yeah, if you want to be. Sure.”

“Do you want me to be? Please be honest, Rhett.” Link’s eyes pleaded with him.

“No. No. I want you to be yourself, Link, and I know it’s really weird for two guys, but…” Rhett shrugged, feeling helpless as he stared into his best friend’s soft blue eyes. “I want you to be my boyfriend, if that’s even a thing?” Gosh, maybe they were gay after all. Rhett’s stomach ached at the thought, but he could barely feel it over the joy in his heart.

“Our parents are going to kill us,” Link warned, but there was a growing smile on his face.

“I know,” Rhett answered.

“And it’s not weird. I was wrong when I said that earlier,” Link said. “It’s perfect. I’d be so happy to be your boyfriend.”

The next thing Rhett knew, Link was wrapped around him again, holding on tight. They put out the fire together and climbed into the tent, deciding to share one sleeping bag for the night. They weren’t quite sure what to do with each other, but they knew they had a long time ahead of them to figure it out. That night, they snuggled and kissed, talking quietly until Link finally fell asleep. Rhett had never been happier as he drifted off, feeling certain that being Link’s boyfriend was going to be even better than he could ever possibly imagine.


End file.
